Caught in a Loop
by Amerika Knight
Summary: He's been stuck in a loop, living his life over and over again. But maybe this time he'll get it right. GEN.


Disclaimer: Not mine.

Author's Notes: A combination effort between my sister and I. Updates are likely to take a while, but chapter length should be okay. Imput would be wonderful.

Summary: He's been stuck in a loop, living his life over and over again. But maybe this time he'll get it right. GEN.

Warnings: cursing, mafia, some darker themes. and very vague hint of pairings. You have been warned.

**XXxxxxXX**

**Chapter One:**

**Rise and Sigh**

**XXxxxxxXX**

Tsuna opened his eyes at the sound of his alarm clock, a continuous annoying sound, that he never managed to wake up to during his first run, and destroyed every time after. It had been a gift from Iemitsu, so he could count the days till his next visit, or something or other, but to Tsuna it was trash. He shut the damn thing off and tossed it in the bin, glancing around sleepily, as he took in the sight of his old, familiar (and very dirty) room.

It was still the same with its posters of random things, and its used furniture, as well as the piles of schoolwork laying everywhere. It hadn't changed a bit, since his last repeat, which meant only one thing.

He was still stuck in a loop.

Tsuna groaned.

"You did it again," He said under his breath, feeling the warmth from Natsu on his finger, and a soft laughter in his ears.

The bed squeaks under his small weight as Tsuna slides off and on to his feet, stretching his limbs with a sleepy yawn. He remains in place for a minute, thinking of his last repeat, thinking about his death and his return to life. Another sign escapes his lips, this time of pure tiredness, as he starts going through the motions of getting ready.

Newly arrived or not, there's school to go to (the thought of which bores him beyond words), and soon enough his mother will be up making breakfast.

He slips off his pajamas, a school of tunas, his mother deemed cute and dresses himself neatly, a grace in his foot steps, that only came from hundred of hours of Reborn's torture, and side stepping the occasional misdirected attack of either Kyouya or Mukuro, before turning his attention to irritating state of his room.

Unlike the extreme cleaning nature of Ryohei, or the obsessed compulsive attitude of Hayato, Tsuna had gotten used to a neat environment, both for its easy management, and for its quick escape routes. He tend to have less bruises if he gave Reborn less to work with.

Picking up the loose piles of papers from all over the floor, as well as ruffing through the mayhem of his desk, he threw all of it into the bin, shoving dirty articles of clothes into the laundry basket, and his manga back into its place on his book shelf. Later on, he'd have to move most of it, including the desk into the guest room, if he didn't want to be picking up wooden shards from the rug. Reborn was uncaring when it came to collateral damage. The low table would be enough for him.

Grabbing his bag from his bed post, Tsuna went downstairs glancing idly at the small, barely noticeable indention on the wooden floor where he landed those many times he fell down the stairs. Stepping around it lightly, he passes by, a small chuckle falling from his lips as he enters the kitchen.

Already, his mother is standing at the stove, turning some _yakitori _for his bento when he takes a seat, waiting for her to notice him. It's unnecessary for him to be so quiet, he knows, but he needs to start training this past form for Reborn's training as soon as possible.

"Oh tsu-kun." His mother says smiling brightly. "I didn't hear you come in." She says placing a large omelet in front of him before taking her own seat, and starting to eat breakfast.

Tsuna follows suit, savoring the flavor of food that he's been denied for years since his mother died of cancer in the future-which-has-past. There's no conversation initially, but after a few minutes, his mother sees fit to start one.

"How's school?" She asks, placing her rice bowl on to the table, and picking up her fork, but all her attention is on him.

"Its been okay." He says, casually, finishing his omelet and moving on to the octopus sausages that have somehow made it to his plate but not his mother's. Almost like a bribe. "I understand the schoolwork better." He adds, seeing the sad glint in his mother's eyes.

She perks up almost instantly. "Really?" She presses almost unable to believe it, and Tsuna can't blame her for the disbelief. Nearly thirteen years of nothing but failing grades could wear down even the most optimistic of people.

"Yes." He reassures her, gently placing his chopsticks down. "I'll bring home my test." He says knowing full well there's a test today - there always is on the day he begins a new repeat - and raises to his feet.

He walks out, not missing the sun-blindingly bright smile he receives in return.

XXxxxxXX

Outside, Tsuna begins the mind-numbing walk to school, as people, other students, and whatnot go by him. He watches it with a mixture of nostalgia, and affection as he turns onto the main shopping street. It's still early, only a little past seven, and Namimori is waking up before his very eyes as shop keepers begin stocking for the day ahead.

He moves on to the smooth surface of the sidewalk as on his right he nears Namimori Middle School. Out front, Kyouya - Hibari-san he reminds himself - is stocking the school corners, watching for misbehaving herbivores, as the school gates are opened to their full width.

Technically, class doesn't start until eight-ten, but students are already present for various reasons, for club and what not, so his cloud guardian is present to keep the peace, even though the teenager is more tired than anyone (barring Kusakabe-san) knows, and whose normally short temper is shorter than usual.

Unless, he acts.

A knowing, cunning smirk inches itself onto his face, as Tsuna turns, inches from the school gate, and back towards the shopping district. A devious plan in mind.

He neither sees, nor hears the strange whispers that follow him as he walks off, a strange determined glint in his eyes and purpose in his posture.

He had work to do.

XXxxxxXX

Hibari Kyouya, feared prefect of Namimori Middle School was at a loss. His entire morning had been normal enough, he bit some late herbivores to death, finished directing the rest of the Discipline Committee, and paroled the halls of his beloved school before class started.

So it was with vague surprise that when he entered the reception room, that he found a steaming cup of green tea, and some rice balls waiting for him. His first thought was that it was one of the members of his committee, possibly Tetsuya, or that strange third in command Neshi, but both were more surprised than he was leaving only mystery.

Besides his parents, both of whom were not in the country, and likely wouldn't be for the forseeable future, no one else knew his favorite foods, or had the utter gall to invites themselves into his domain.

Faced with food coming from an unknown source, that was neither poisoned or tampered with, he set out to solve the mystery, turning to the cameras - although useful - to reveal the identity of his mysterious food-giver.

It came as yet another shock, when he saw a weak herbivore, short and with hair that stuck out all over the place, enter the reception room, and place the tea and rice balls down, pausing only to serve the tea properly, and cover the kettle, before walking out.

A full thirty seconds before he, himself had arrived.

A feat that was not only impossible, but improbable considering that he had seen no one near the Reception Room prior to his arrival, and the length of the hallway should have made the herbivore's presence visible.

But that hadn't been the case.

Reminding the video, he studied the small form, his mind drawing up a name from the scores of students attending Namimori Middle School.

"Sawada Tsunayoshi." He said, intrigued.

XXxxxxXX

Class was as boring as ever.

He flew through his test knowing he'd scored well, perhaps not in the range of Hayato but high enough that his mother would be pleased before turning the page upside down, and glancing out the window.

There still plenty of time until the test was over, so no one would mind much if he's lost in his thoughts, much less Mr. Nezu sleeping behind his attendance book.

Tsuna turns his attention back to the blue sky, wondering idly how long it'll be before Reborn shows up. In his previous lives, Reborn typically made his appearance at the beginning of February, but there had been other times were he came as a late as September. It all just depends when the Ninth made his decision and Iemitsu suggests him.

The last of which makes him frown.

He and Iemitsu had never been close. His father's involvement in CEDEF pretty much taking up all the time Iemitsu had for anything, even his own family, besides the rare times he could visit which was depressingly sad.

For proclaiming himself a proud family man, Iemitsu was incredibly lacking, especially when he had the utter gall to throw him into the mafia without so much as a phone call.

Tsuna rubs his eyes, a line of tiredness etching itself into his body as he leans his face on one hand, his hair casting a shadow over his eyes, hiding the coldness within them and the bitterness in their depths.

Unlike the first time, Tsuna wasn't that meek person he had been, and he's not just going to stand by again. He hadn't for some time, and doesn't plan to now. He knows what a true family is, and Iemitsu has helped him gained that, but he's also the one who endangered them, endangered his mother and that something he can never forgive.

Father or not.

But mostly not, because a father is there for his family.

But its an old argument, and one that's played out a thousand times, in a thousand different ways that Tsuna feels disconnected from, even though the bitterness remains raw, and festering

The bell rings, and Mr. Nezu jumps from the chair surprised, ordering sleepily that papers be passed up. Tsuna hands his sheet up, casually digging though his bag, and taking out his textbook for the next class. He swallows the disapproval steaming below his skin.

There was no point getting worked up about his father now, the man was neither present nor going to be in Japan for a while until the Ring Battles begun so he could afford to relax, and think about other things.

There was no Reborn shooting at him, no paperwork, no fighting and no shouting, just a simple day, in a regular class.

Before the atmosphere shifts and a sadist gleam enters Tsuna's eyes.

He couldn't wait until things got interesting.

XXxxxxXX

**Authors**: Neither can we Tsuna, neither can we. For now though just setting the mood. Comment and we'll get back to you. Until next time.


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